Stonecutting clamp



Ma ly 20, 1947. MQELLTER 2,420,790

STONE CUTTING CLAMP Filed Dec. 29, 1945 l INVENTOR. T BY /l NoeZZer;

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Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STONE CUTTING CLAMPMorris A. Moeller, Long Beach, Calif.

Application December 29, 1945, Serial No. 637,977

I Claims. 1

This invention relates toa device for cutting semi-precious stones intoslabs or slices of various thicknesses having parallel or relativelyinclined surfaces.

To this end, the invention-consists in the com binations hereinafterfully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is-a substantially corresponding endview of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view of'parts of the device taken substantially online 4- I-of ,Fig. 3.

The structure of the invention, in the .form illustrated in thedrawings, comprises a clamp which is adjustable to grip the stone to becut. Thi clamp includes a bifurcated head-piece I, from which depends anarm 2. The head-piece is made with a series of transverse perforations Iof a size to receive a bolt 3, and a second arm t is shown hung on thisbolt within the bifurcation of the head-piece. Through the two armsextend alined perforations, in which an adjusting bolt 5 is seated.

In operation, the clamp is in the first instance adjusted to the size ofstone to be cut, whereupon the bolt *5 is tightened 'firmly to grip therock. In order'to insurea firm grip on therock, it is required toserrate'the gripping surfaces of the arms, substantially as shown at 2 4The clamp is held suspended from a troughshaped track 6 in the followingmanner. A channeled bar 1 is by a bolt 8, which extends through anelongated perforation 1 of the bar, secured in position on the clamp andthis bar is fitted at the ends thereof with transverse guide members 9,10, having therein elongated perforations of a size to receive hangers II, I2. The latter are made hook-shaped and they are clamped in positionin the guides 9, It by means of nuts l3 engaging the lower extremitiesof the hangers. The outer portion of the hangers ride in the track 6,and the ends thereof are shown laterally extended to form shoes H I2which provide better bearing surfaces for the hangers.

The track 6 is in the drawings shown suspended from a ceiling beam A, orsome other stationary object by means of bolts I4, I5, but I wish itunderstood that it may be supported in any other manner found mostconvenient. As shown in Fig. 1 the track is so mounted relative to thesaw B that the clamp may be swung on the pivot formed by the shoes Il l2seated in the track until the rock reaches and passes across the saw.

The semi precious stones, for cutting of which the device is designed,vary greatly in size and shape, and the thickness of the slice which isproducedmay also greatly vary. It is, for this reason, necessary toadjust the clamp transversely relative to the saw, and this is done bymoving the hangers within the guides 9, I0. And, of course, where morethan one piece is to be cut oif, the clamp is moved step by step in thesame manner.

his not always required to cut off pieces with parallel surfaces, but itis often desired to change the angular relation of the faces thereof.This may readily be done by loosening the bolt 8 and to turn the clampon the channeled bar l'until the desired angular adjustment is reached.The bolt is then again tightened.

In order to be able to adjust the width of the clamp more closely to thesize of the rock to be cut, it is advantageous to place perforations tin the arm 4, thereby to obtain clamping positions intermediate theperforations l The distance between the perforations l should, ofcourse, be greater or less that the distance between the perforations lAs above stated, the thickness of the slices to be cut may varyconsiderably and, when very thin slabs are to be cut, it may beadvantageous to decrease the thickness of the arms, which, for thispurpose, are shown made with removable clamping jaws It, I]. These jawsare shown secured in position by means of bolts I8 50 that they may bereadily removed and replaced by others of a different thickness.

Great care is necessary in order correctly to adjust the clamplongitudinally on the track 6 and to lock it in adjusted positionthereon. To this end, I employ screw clamps I9, 20, which are placed onthe track between and in contact with the inner ends of the shoes Il I2substantially as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. By the above enumeratedmeans it is possible very closely to adjust the clamp relative to thesaw.

It is also well, in order to obtain a, firm grip on the rock, to placelinings 2|, 22, of soft metal such as lead, on the inner surfaces of thelaws It, I! as indicated in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting semi-precious stones pended therefrom foroscillating movement relative thereto.

2. A device for supporting semi-precious stones to be cut comprising, atrough-shaped track, a bar, members on said bar freely riding in saidtrack for longitudinal and oscillating movement therein, a clamp securedto said bar for rotative movement relative thereto, and means foradjusting said clamp firmly to grip a rock to be cut.

3. A device for supporting semi-precious stones to be cut comprising atrack, a bar, members on said bar riding in said track for longitudinaland oscillating movement therein, a bifurcated frame secured to said barfor longitudinal and rotative movement relative thereto, an arm rigidlyseated in one end of said frame, a second arm pivotally hung in theframe for adjustment longitudinally thereof, and means for relativelyadjusting said arms firmly to grip a rock to be cut.

4. A device for supporting semi-precious stones to be cut comprising atrough-shaped track, a clamp, means for adjusting said clamp to grip arock to be cut, and members on said clamp freely riding in said track tomaintain the clamp suspended therefrom for oscillating movement relativethereto, and means for locking said members against longitudinalmovement in the track.

5. A device for upporting semi-precious stones to be cut comprising atrough-shaped track, a bar, members on said bar freely riding in saidtrack for longitudinal and oscillating movement therein, a clamp securedto said bar for rotative movement relative thereto, and means foradjusting said clamp firmly to grip a rock to be cut, and means forlocking said members against longitudinal movement in the track.

6. A device for supporting semi-precious stones to be out comprising atrack, a bar, members on said bar riding in said track for longitudinaland oscillating movement therein, a bifurcated frame secured to said barfor longitudinal and rotative movement relative thereto, and arm rigidlyseated in one end of said frame, a second arm pivotally hung in theframe for longitudinal adjustment thereon, means for relativelyadjusting said arm firmly to grip a rock to be cut, and means'forlocking said members against longitudinal movement in the track.

, 7. A device for supporting semi-precious stones to be cut comprising,a V-shaped track, a clamp,

interchangeable jaws for said clamp, means for adjusting said clamp tocause the jaws of the clamp firmly to grip the rock to be cut, andmembers rising from said clamp and riding in said track to maintain theclamp suspended therefrom for oscillating movement relative thereto.

8. A device for supporting semi-precious stones to be cut comprising, aV-shaped track, a clamp, interchangeable jaws for said clamp, soft metalgripping surfaces on said jaws, means for adjusting said clamp to causethe jaws of the clamp firmly to grip the rock to be cut, and membersrising from said clamp and riding in said track to maintain the clampsuspended therefrom for oscillating movement relative thereto.

9. A device for supporting emi-precious stones to be cut comprising, aV-shaped track, a clamp, interchangeable jaws for said clamp, means foradjusting said clamp to cause the jaws of the clamp firmly to grip therock to be cut, members rising from said clamp and riding in said trackto maintain the clamp suspended therefrom for oscillating movementrelative thereto, and means for locking said members againstlongitudinal movement in said track.

10. A device for supporting semi-precious stones comprising, a V-shapedtrack, a bar, hookshaped members rising from said bar to ride in saidtrack, for longitudinal and oscillating movement therein, a bifurcatedframe secured to said bar for longitudinal and rotative movementrelative thereto, an arm rigidly seated in one end of said frame, asecond arm pivotally hung in the frame for adjustment longitudinallytherein, soft metal gripping surfaces on said arm, means for relativelyadjusting said arms firmly to grip a rock to be cut, and means forlocking said members against longitudinal movement on the track.

MORRIS A. MOELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,382,897 Muller Aug. 14, 1945671,830 Loesser Apr. 9, 1901 732,118 Schenck June 30, 1903

